Chapter 2

Maya

I woke up before the sun to get a jump start on my day. I had showered and was almost finished getting ready when Craig woke up.

“What’s with the skirt? We’re not meeting clients today.” Had he really forgotten that I had a new job?

“Craig, you know I can’t dress down working for ScriptTech. They have a pretty strict dress code, which is why I’ve pulled out a few old skirts.” I hadn’t asked for any money for new ones because I had wanted to manage things on my own, but once a few paychecks came in, I’d have to go and buy a whole new professional wardrobe.

“I can’t believe you’re actually doing this? I brought you here, gave you a perfectly good job, and now you’re just going to leave me.” Craig gave me a hard glare through the mirror. He stood behind me across the room pulling on his pants.

“You have other assistants, and I told you, it’s easier than us working and living together. If we’re going to make this relationship work, I think we need a little space. You knew I put in my notice and that I was hired. What’s not to believe?” Since moving from New Orleans to New York City to be with Craig, he’d shown his temper more times than I’d cared for, and I couldn’t stand working with him on a daily basis and taking that kind of verbal bashing day and night.

It was all I could do to stay with him at all anymore, but with my move, which was only seven months earlier, and changing my job, which was a dead-end, low paying gig as his secretary, I couldn’t afford to be on my own in the city. He’d moved me here under false pretenses, and not the foot-in-the-door to the fashion industry that he’d guaranteed.

Getting another job, and trying to make the relationship part of my move work out was all I could hope for at this point, and if it didn’t change his behavior, which had progressively gotten worse since cohabitation with him, then I’d have to figure something else out. Hopefully, by then, I’d have a little money saved up so if I had to flee, I’d have a better leg to stand on.

He wasn’t anything like the man I’d met online, the sweetheart who had romanced me and stayed up late nights to chat with me. Looking back at that time before I’d moved to New York, our bond was much stronger when all we had was the phone and internet to communicate. I’d go to work each day, texting him every moment I could, and I could not wait until I’d get a free moment to talk or text him. I still had all of those special feelings, the ones that marked a blossoming relationship and new love. Those tingles were the reason I really thought I was in love.

“I think it’s bullshit. What do you know about this drug company? Or the industry for that matter. You’ll have no way to move up. It’s a dead-end job.”

“I’m going to be a receptionist; I don’t have to know the industry.” I put the last pin in my hair and turned around to face him. “I’ll do fine, and the pay is better. Maybe I won’t argue with my boss all day.” I gave him a little smile and closed the distance to give him a peck on the cheek.

Craig was an insanely handsome man and everything I could have dreamed of ten months ago when we met online. After our first weekend actually meeting in person in New Orleans, he’d asked me to move up to New York, closer to the industry I loved—fashion. He’d said with him working as a photographer, I’d meet so many people that I could carve my way into the industry, but so far all I’d done was answer his phone and buy him coffee. None of his half-dazed, half-starved models cared about my designs, and I hadn’t met one person that could be beneficial to my future.

“Don’t patronize me, Maya.” He gave me a sideward glare and then grabbed my arms. “I mean, I think there’s more to this little job switch of yours. Why would you want to be away from me? The money wasn’t bad when you took the job.”

“All we do is argue, and I didn’t know how expensive things would be around here. Most people in this city are making twice as much as me. This isn’t New Orleans, and the cost of living is much higher here.” I tensed and braced myself for what he’d do next. I wasn’t going to let my guard down now that he’d put his hands on me in that manner. His fingers dug into my arms as he held me tighter.

“You didn’t even get a job in the fashion industry, though, which leads me to wonder if you’ve met someone else.” His eyes bore down on mine.

His accusation left me dumbfounded. I’d been in town for a very short time, and since, I’d been so busy with him, not only working the exact same schedule but coming home with him at the end of every day. I’d had to deliberately take a few lunch hours to search for a job, and had gotten lucky when one of the assistants had mentioned the job coming open. His inability to be reasonable was concerning.

“That’s ridiculous. You know where I am at all times, Craig. How would I have time to be away from you?”

“Maybe I’m not the only man you know here in New York. You could have used me to get here, and now you want to be with him. It’s not that far-fetched.” He shrugged and seemed so childish in his accusation, so wilted and hurt, that I put my arms around his waist, despite his hands still crushing against me, and leaned my head against his chest until he let me go. I brought my arms around him and held him for reassurance, but his unstable actions had me shaken.

I let out a cleansing breath. “That’s not the case. This relationship will work out if we support each other. It will be fine, I promise.” I glanced at the clock across the room and knew that if I didn’t get a move on, I’d be late for my first day. The job was important to me, and I hoped he’d be supportive and stop with the silly accusations.

“Whatever. I don’t have time to sit and deal with you. What time do you get off at the new job?” He stepped away and grabbed his camera bag.

“I should be done at four-thirty, then by the time I get back here, I should have time to make us something for dinner.” I hated to cook, but I could do it for a few days until he was appeased.

He curled his lip and turned to the door. “Have fun. I’ll check on you later.” His accusing tone said his words were more a warning than sincere. I went to grab my own bag so I wouldn’t have to walk down to the street alone. I was still new to the city and didn’t like being out by myself.

We didn’t live in a horrible neighborhood, but it wasn’t the fancy apartment he’d led me to believe he lived in. I’d been better off in New Orleans, and while I didn’t have it much better, at least I felt safer there in familiar surroundings. At least I had some friends left there, and a family, though dysfunctional, who loved me.

They had all warned me about Craig and told me that Mr. Wonderful might not be all he promised, but I’d been so blinded by love that I thought I knew better. If only I could go back to the few months before, I’d have never left home.

The awkward departure had me shaken, and I had a while to think along the commute about where our relationship was heading. I didn’t love him. Not like I thought I had. I wanted to, but I’d seen too much of his ugliness. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, and if things kept escalating, I could be in a dangerous situation. He’d already shown me how cruel his words could be over the past few months working for him, and as I glanced down and saw the red marks still fading on my arms, I wondered just what he’d do next.

With any luck, I wouldn’t have to be around to let it get that bad.